1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible sun shield that can be unfolded and attached to the window of an automobile.
2. Description of Related Art
It is sometimes desirable to cover the windows of an automobile to shield the interior of the car from the sun and heat. Some of the early car shades include simple cardboard sheets that are folded in an accordion-like fashion. The shades are typically unfolded and placed across the front windshield of a car. Because of the creases in the cardboard, accordion car shades have a tendency to contract toward the initial folded position. Additionally, even when fully folded, the accordion shades are somewhat bulky to pack and store.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,784 issued to Zheng discloses a sun shield that can cover the window(s) of an automobile. The Zheng sun shield has a pair of closed loop flexible frames that are covered and coupled by two opaque sheets of fabric material. The frames are separated by a hinge area which allows the loops to be placed on top of each other. The frames are then twisted and folded to form a plurality of smaller concentric loops which can then be stored. The hinge portion of the Zheng sun shield is unsupported and thus has a tendency to sag away from the window. The sagging material may allow light to enter the interior of the car and thus reduce the effectiveness of the sun shield.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,262 issued to Huang discloses a sun shield that has a single flexible frame covered by a pair of opaque sheets. The Huang sun shield is rectangular in shape and large enough to cover the windshield of a car. The frame is constructed to be twisted and folded into a plurality of concentric loops much like the Zheng device. Sun shields of the prior art are typically placed adjacent to the windshield and secured by rotating the visor of the car into contact with the shield. Such a method typically results in a portion of the shield being separated from the glass, such that light still enters the passenger compartment through the windshield. It would be desirable to have a sun shield that does not require a car visor and which places the entire shield adjacent to the windshield. It would also be desirable to have a suction cup which can be readily removed from the shade.